The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has told herders in Ondo State to ignore the directive of the state governor, Ogbeni Rotimi Akeredolu to quit the state’s forest reserves.
Spokesman of the forum, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement on Wednesday, asked the governor to withdraw the ultimatum given to herders to vacate forest reserves in the state.
Baba-Ahmed noted that the governor’s order was provocative and unhelpful.
Governor Akeredolu had on Monday given herders in the state a seven-day ultimatum to leave the forests because of the rising insecurity in the state.
Akeredolu observed that bad elements had turned the forest reserves into hideouts for keeping victims of kidnapping, negotiating for ransom and carrying out other criminal activities.
The Northern Elders Forum asked the governor to separate criminals operating in the state and mete appropriate punishments to them while allowing herders to carry out their legitimate business.
“Northern Elders Forum is shocked at reports that Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is asking a Fulani community to leave its lawful location, in addition to other restrictions on activities of Fulani people who have lived in the State for a long period,” NEF said.
The statement noted the governor as a senior lawyer should know that the constitution does not give him the power to deny any Nigerian the right to live where he chooses if he does not break the law in the process.
“If there are criminal elements among the Fulani who live in the State, the governor should take appropriate steps to identify them and deal with them. Similarly, the Fulani do not enjoy legal immunity in any part of Nigeria,” NEF said.
It said that the Fulani community in Ondo state should stay put where they are and continue to be law-abiding.
